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MTN Ghana and TAW Spark New Wave of Women’s Empowerment at She Builds Conference 2025
The Accra International Conference Centre was the centre of energy, dialogue, and inspiration on Wednesday as MTN Ghana, in partnership with The Academic Woman Foundation (TAW), hosted the much-anticipated She Builds Conference 2025.
The event brought together women leaders, industry professionals, academics, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and gender advocates from across Ghana and beyond. Its aim: to explore practical pathways for women’s empowerment, leadership growth, and digital inclusion in an era where innovation and connectivity are defining success
The conference theme, “Women in Entrepreneurship, Law, Built Environment and Engineering: Where Are We Now, Where Are We Going, and What Do We Need to Do?”, struck at the heart of Ghana’s development agenda.
Panel sessions, keynote addresses, and interactive discussions offered a rich mix of inspiration, lived experiences, and actionable strategies for breaking the barriers that women continue to face in business and professional life.
Angela Mensah-Poku Sounds the Call for Change
In one of the most engaging sessions, Angela Mensah-Poku, Chief Enterprise Business Officer at MTN Ghana, drew attention to the disproportionate struggles faced by women despite their dominance in Ghana’s informal sector.
She disclosed that close to 80% of informal businesses in Ghana are led by women, yet many of these ventures remain stuck in survival mode rather than scaling up to sustainable growth.
“At some point, we need to recognise that a significant number of businesses in Ghana are female-led. Yet, many women are locked out of growth opportunities because they lack access to funding, digital tools, formal networks, and mentorship,” she noted.
Her remarks drew nods of agreement across the hall as participants resonated with the lived reality of many Ghanaian women entrepreneurs.
Mensah-Poku went further to highlight the digital identity challenge. Many women, she revealed, still operate businesses with mobile numbers registered in their husbands’ names, cutting them off from services like mobile money wallets, banking platforms, and formal financial support schemes.
“Digital identity begins with something as simple as having a personal phone number, accurate KYC details, and a Ghana Card. If women are excluded at this basic level, they’re cut off from broader economic opportunities,” she stressed.
A multi-pronged approach involving mentorship, training, financial literacy, and access to digital tools that would allow women entrepreneurs to move, in her words, “from good to great to greatest.”
MTN’s Solutions for Women in Business
Backing its message with action, MTN Ghana unveiled a package of SME solutions designed to directly support women-led enterprises.
The flagship product, the MTN Adwumapa Bundle, available via *5060#, provides affordable voice, data, SMS, and lifestyle services tailored to entrepreneurs who need to stay connected and build strong customer relationships.
Other SME-focused products such as Y’ello Biz and Webwiz were also showcased, signaling MTN’s long-term commitment to helping women embrace digital platforms, expand their visibility, and compete on equal footing in a technology-driven economy.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, commended the steady progress of Ghanaian women in leadership, politics, and enterprise.
She highlighted women’s growing influence across Parliament, the judiciary, corporate boardrooms, agriculture, technology, and the creative industries.
Her remarks also drew attention to Ghana’s proudest milestone:
“We are proud to celebrate Ghana’s first female Vice President, Professor Nana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, whose achievement serves as a beacon of hope for young girls across the country.”
A Platform for the Future
Beyond speeches and showcases, the She Builds Conference 2025 was an important networking and mentoring hub, creating opportunities for young women to connect with established leaders and role models.
The event reinforced a strong message: empowering women is not just about equality but about driving national development, boosting economic growth, and building sustainable communities.
As the curtains closed, participants left with renewed determination that women must not only have a seat at the table but also shape the agenda of Ghana’s future.
